Definition[]
The bit rate (also called data rate) is the number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time, most often (but not exclusively) employed when discussing time-based media like sound or video.
Overview[]
A bit rate is usually measured in some multiple of bits per second — for example, kilobits (or thousands of bits per second), kilobits per second, (kbit/s or kbps (103)); megabits per second, (Mbit/s or Mbps (106); or gigabits per second, (Gbit/s or Gbps (109)).